1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle lighting device employing a semiconductor-type light source as a light source and having a plurality of reflecting surfaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicle lighting device of this type is conventionally disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2008-41557, for example. Hereinafter, the conventional vehicle lighting device will be explained. The conventional vehicle lighting device is provided with a semiconductor-type light source, a first reflecting surface, a second reflecting surface, a third reflecting surface, and a fourth reflecting surface. Hereinafter, effects of the conventional vehicle lighting device will be explained. First, the semiconductor-type light source is intended to illuminate and emit light. Part of light radiated from the semiconductor-type light source is then reflected by the first reflecting surface. Part of the reflected light is reflected by the third reflecting surface, and is radiated on a road surface, as a light distribution pattern having a horizontal cut-line on an upper edge. In addition, the remainder of the reflected light from the first reflecting surface is mainly reflected by the second reflecting surface, and is radiated on a road surface, as a light distribution pattern having a hot spot portion superimposed in the light distribution pattern and a protrusive portion including an oblique cut-line projecting upwardly of the horizontal cut-line. Further, the remainder of the light radiated from the semiconductor-type light source is mainly reflected by the fourth reflecting surface, and is radiated on an overhead sign or the like, as an overhead sign light distribution pattern. In this manner, in the conventional vehicle lighting device, an ideal light distribution pattern can be obtained by one lamp unit.
A problem to be solved by the invention is to improve the conventional vehicle lighting device described previously.